When smoking tobacco from either a pipe, cigarette holder or cigarette, the smoke includes nicotine, moisture, tar and other burnt tobacco byproducts. The pipe and holder usually includes a filter in the stem to limit the amount of burnt byproducts being inhaled by the smoker. With the pipe and holder, the elongate stem also assists in limiting the amount of burnt byproducts reaching the smoker, because the smoke loses heat and the suspended waste changes from a gaseous phase to a solid or liquid phase and consequently is trapped by the filter.
With time, the waste byproducts clog the pipe preventing smoke from passing through the internal passage. Consequently, the pipe and cigarette holder require regular cleaning. The cleaning of pipes and cigarette holders is a laborious task repeated on a regular basis. Furthermore, the cleaning of pipes and cigarette holders usually leaves some waste thereby contaminating subsequent smoke passing through the stem and lessening the enjoyment derived from smoking.
In addition, the area immediately in communication with the exit portal of the burning chamber is often burnt as a consequence of the high temperature of the smoke reducing the ability of the area to filter the smoke. Eventually the pipe or holder must be replaced because of the damaged area adjacent the burning chamber.
These problems are an ongoing source of frustration to smokers as effective filtering of the smoke is reduced. Where filtering is reduced over a period of time, the smoker's health can be adversely affected. As well, the regular ongoing requirement to clean the pipes and holders before a person can enjoy having a smoke often turns the person away from using such smoking devices.